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Lanka`s cost-effective war on terror
Thursday, 1 October 2009 - 10:00 AM SL Time
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Many an aspect of Sri Lanka`s successful war has been discussed. Its proponents are jubilant over military victory over terrorism and the resultant freedom from fear and obviation of threats to national security, while its opponents stay focused on the external costs of the conflagration including displacement which the government is struggling to tackle at present.
But, what was the real cost of Sri Lanka`s war on terror in monetary terms? And how does it compare with the cost of major anti-terror offensives elsewhere?
One main argument against the war here a few years ago was that the economy could not afford it. Those who wanted to take on the LTTE militarily were accused of trying to bankrupt the economy and ruin the country`s future. There were many foreign funded workshops and advertising campaigns to sell the idea that Sri Lanka was without an alternative to suing for peace with the LTTE.
Appeasement, it was argued, was the only way to avert an economic disaster. This kind of scaremongering and the attendant fear psychosis underpinned the past peace efforts which helped the LTTE go from strength to strength. The carrot some prominent members of the international community dangled before Sri Lanka to lure her into mollycoddling the LTTE and treading the path of negotiations infested with booby traps, was an aid pledge of US dollars 4.5 billion in 2002!
In battling the LTTE, described as the most ruthless terrorist organisation, Sri Lanka spent US dollars 4.2 billion from 2006 to 2009. However, this expenditure was not entirely on combat operations conducted in the Eastern and Northern Provinces. The defence budget prior to the recommencement of war stood at around 1.1 per cent of GDP. That is about US dollars 1.6 billion could be considered `non-conflict` defence expenditure, which the country would have had to incur anyway. Therefore, the actual cost of the war that delivered the country from the clutches of terrorism was only US dollars 2.6 billion, which is approximately one half of the aid package (US dollars 4.5) that Sri Lanka at one time tried to obtain at the expense of her sovereignty, territorial integrity and public security.
Today, Sri Lanka is already reaping the dividends of defeating terrorism. Her foreign reserves have improved considerably inflation has come down at present it is 0.7 per cent tourism is reviving and foreign investment coming in.
The US has been all out to destroy its terrorists all these years. By April 2009, it had expended US dollars 694 billion on military operations in Iraq alone! (In Vietnam, it spent US dollars 686 billion.) In Afghanistan, America`s hunt for the elusive Al Qaeda has, so far, cost the US taxpayers US dollars 223 billion. Worse, the US has to go on throwing at least US dollars 100 billion at its terrorist problem year in and year out, perhaps till kingdom come.
(A wag says the US should seriously consider outsourcing the prosecution of its war on terror to Sri Lanka, which is capable of doing a much better job at a lower cost! After all, according to the UNP, several architects of Sri Lanka`s successful war, including Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka, are US Green Card holders. Sri Lanka, the same wag suggests, could design a cut-price counter-terrorism package!)
Sri Lanka would have won her war much earlier at a lower cost in terms of funds and loss of life and property but for the despicable backing the LTTE received from some rogue members of the international community. The US is free from such frustratingly formidable impediments in its wars as no country dares interfere with its affairs, military or otherwise.
Regrettably, some leading nations that opposed Hitler and helped rid the world of his brand of terrorism shamelessly backed Prabhakaran and his killers in all but name thus making war on terror an uphill task for Sri Lanka, which is being persecuted even after defeating terrorism.
Tiny as Sri Lanka may be, the world has a lot to learn from her war against terrorism. She has exploded the myth that terrorism defies military action and negotiations are the only remedy. Debunking such baseless myths which terrorists draw sustenance from is a prerequisite for defeating terrorism anywhere in the world.
Sri Lanka certainly deserves a better deal from the West, which has been battling terrorism without success at a huge cost, for showing the way.
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elephanthouse
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 1 Oct 2009 09:38:40 GMT Report for Abuse
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Interesting article and figures.
What does not appear here is the human costs not just the number of deaths and injured, but also the number of people suffering from various psychological problems, the women who have been raped etc. and the various collateral damages. Its a national disaster that will take a very long time to heal, if ever, and everything has to be done that it doesnt happen again.
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ajan
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 1 Oct 2009 11:22:38 GMT Report for Abuse
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It is such idiotic to calculate the cost of fighting the war while srilanka is long long way to end the war.
let me tell you i was from north of the country close to my town srilankan army had killed 100 tamil youths. it was in 84
what did the state do the murders?
nothing and worse it said no such thing happend.
people were furious and angry they went on to take the law in their hand to punish the killers.
if the government at the time had punished the killers and deliver justice. government dont need to spend billions and billions.
even today the troops abduct and killing tamil youth everyday,
what does the government do , say no such thing happening. and continue to detain innocent people and punish them.
a video shown army killing group of tamil youths shown by channel 4
what did the government do, it should have find the perpetrator and punished. evidence was there ,
it is not rocket science to locate the land where the murder took place.
and locate the voices in the video and identify the regimes and identify the killers.
and bring them in front of court.
this is what a any citizens of country would ask. but what did the governemnt do?
it denied such thing happend.
it was not long ago 5 students in trincomalee was guned down by srilankan troops.
what did the state did?
it said these students had blown themselves with a granade.
but a journalist had took a picture of the dead bodies clearly showing the point blank range gun shot wound.
what did the state do?
killed that journalist.
this is the justice of srilanka style. this is why tamils want the separate state.
so dont conclude the war is over , because it is not. |
ThinKing
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 1 Oct 2009 11:55:02 GMT Report for Abuse
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Elephanthouse,
I dont think your arguement make much sense in relation to where Sri Lanka was in 2006. True the human cost of the war between 2006 and 2009 was high, but it would have cost the same (or infact more) if the low intensity/disorganised war or defensive peace which was going on from 1983 - 2006 was to go on for another 10,15, 20 years.
If there had been a way to stop the war permanantly in 2006, yes then what you say is true, but we both know that there was no such option.
Edited By - ThinKing - 1 Oct 2009 11:58:44 GMT |
rswkv
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 1 Oct 2009 12:36:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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army had killed 100 tamil youths. it was in 84
You mean LTTE youth?
a video shown army killing group of tamil youths shown by channel 4
ohh give me a break.. this peelama still dreaming about that bogus video..
this is why tamils want the separate state
I thought you already have it. what about that intcontinental peelam government?
Looks like you cannot live without a piece of sri lanka. Sorry dear you still don't know the taste of the axe then...Ask vp when you get there.. |
Imperator
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1 Oct 2009 14:30:30 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ajan,
srilanka is long long way to end the war.
Yes, the SLA is still walking into the LTTE's trap. |
nativerights
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1 Oct 2009 20:32:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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Tiger roar to kitten mew, ajan and his hate spew, yet stewing in his expired spew. Yes it is not over it has never been and never will, it is the essence of our struggle, our story and our existence, our survival in our only-homeland.
REMEMBER- Mass killing of 1500 young Tamils who were suppoters of Mahattaya in '99 and then eastern Tamils
REMEMBER- Killing of principals, teachers, many educated just because they did not agree with the mentality of gr 5 drop out REMEMBER- The Wanni open prison where people are allowed to open mouth only to eat! ( as it is today !)
REMEMBER- SL army guarding examination centers of tamil kids to prevent kidnapping!! REMEMBER- The wanni fascists inhumane act of closing the sluice gates of MAVILARU irrigation canal, which was the life line of thousands Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim peasant farmers in the TRICOMALEE South !! The human rights group, Amnesty International, says Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka are breaking international law by using civilians as a buffer against government forces and forcing children into its ranks. REMEMBER- Tamil civilians enraptured by the recent liberation of Pooneryn by the Sri Lanka Army today (Nov 21) held a grand street celebration over the victory. About 10,000 civilians marched in the streets of Jaffna town for about 3 hours period in a jubilant mood, shouting patriotic slogans, displaying banners, placards and waving national flags
REMEMBER- Killing and expelling 90 000 Muslims and Sinhalas from Jaffna, killing of 700 police officers, massacre of 29 Buddhist priests, attack at Sri Dalada Maligawa, the assassination of the country s Presidents, India Prime-minister, Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim members of an elected parliment. Central bank bomb, Pettah bus depot bomb, train bombs..... The record of non combatant civilians killed by Prabhakaran up to end of 2004 alone stood at 5831 Tamils in lamp post style executions,1131 Muslim mostly in massacres and 6163 Sinhalese peasants for the crime of leading a peaceful life and getting about in their day to day needs. The LTTE murdered or attempted to murder those it negotiated with (Premadasa, CBK), moderate ethnic politicians (Amirthalingam), foreign intermediaries (Rajiv Gandhi) and its own negotiators (Mahattaya). The equivalent conduct would have been the IRA murdering Tony Blair, John Hume, George Mitchell and Martin MacGuinness. LTTE s sabotage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesingthe s Presidential campaign for peace at any cost. S. Chandrahasan, son of S. J. V. Chelvanayakam, said that the Tamil Tigers have killed more Tamils than all others put together. V. Anandasangaree, the TULF President, who confirmed Chandrahasan s verdict on the Tamil Tigers. Even Karuna broke away from the Tamil Tigers accusing the northern leadership of discriminating against the Eastern Tamils and oppression of the Tamils by the Tamils, denying them their basic human rights, stands as an unparalleled criminal record in Sri Lankan history.
Edited By - nativerights - 1 Oct 2009 20:35:19 GMT |
nativerights
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1 Oct 2009 20:45:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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| It will take a 1000 tiger movements to black wash our tiger-busters. |
nativerights
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2 Oct 2009 16:07:24 GMT Report for Abuse
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Who won Jaffna elections?
Vavnia 45% peelamists
As long as TNA is there brainwashed Tamils will vote for them
50 years from now you will still be where you started
As long as separatst supporters are there there will be no solution
Like Anandasadagiri said, should have done us all a favour by banning them
(A judicial action may be able to remedy this)
Let a fresh leadership takeover the current reality/issues than past garbage
This culture of wailing and blaming others as the victims who live throughout the country and barring others from Tamil majority ares has shown not to have worked,
bad habbits die hard
Tamils may take time to realise that the known devil is (and was) not the best option,
It may be too late by then |
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